Load balancing in cloud-based game system

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for a load balancing scheme for a cloud-based game system. In some examples, a load balancing system may include a resource usage measurement unit configured to measure resource usage of a game server, a determination unit configured to determine one or more client devices to stream non-interactive media files among a plurality of client devices connected to the game server based at least in part on the resource usage measured by the resource usage measurement unit, and a transmission unit to stream the non-interactive media files to one or more of the client devices upon occurrence of a predetermined game event.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cloud-based game system, comprising:
 one or more game servers configured to provide a cloud-based gaming service; 
 a plurality of client devices connected to the gaming service; and 
 a load balancing module implemented on at least one of the one or more game servers, the load balancing module configured to:
 measure resource usage of the one or more game servers, 
 determine whether the measured resource usage exceeds a predetermined threshold, 
 in response to a determination that the measured resource usage exceeds the predetermined threshold, identify one or more of the plurality of client devices to which one or more non-interactive media files are to be provided, and 
 provide the one or more non-interactive media files to the identified one or more client devices. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the load balancing module is configured to identify the one or more of the plurality of client devices to which to provide the one or more non-interactive media files by identifying the one or more client devices on which a predetermined game event is imminent. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the load balancing module is configured to identify, randomly, the one or more of the plurality of client devices to which the non-interactive media files are to be provided. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the load balancing module is configured to identify the one or more of the plurality of client devices to which the non-interactive media files are to be provided based at least in part on a number of non-interactive media files previously provided to each of the plurality of client devices. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the load balancing module is configured to measure resource usage of the one or more game servers by measuring resource usage of graphic processing units (GPUs) of each of the one or more game servers. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the load balancing module is configured to measure resource usage of the one or more game servers by measuring resource usage of one or more memories corresponding to each of the one or more game servers. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined game event includes starting a game or entering a new game stage. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the load balancing module is configured to provide the one or more non-interactive media files to the identified one or more client devices by streaming the one or more non-interactive media files to the identified one or more client devices. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-interactive media files include at least one or more non-interactive video files, one or more non-interactive audio files, one or more non-interactive image files, or one or more non-interactive text files. 
     
     
       10. A game server to provide a cloud-based gaming service to a plurality of client devices, the game server comprising:
 a memory; and 
 at least one processor configured to:
 measure resource usage of the game server, 
 determine whether the measured resource usage exceeds a predetermined threshold, 
 in response to a determination that the measured resource usage exceeds the predetermined threshold, identify one or more of the plurality of client devices, to which the game server is connected, and to which one or more non-interactive media files are to be provided, and 
 provide the one or more non-interactive media files to the identified one or more client devices. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The game server of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify the one or more of the plurality of client devices to which the one or more non-interactive media files are to be provided by identifying the one or more client devices on which a predetermined game event is imminent. 
     
     
       12. The game server of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify, randomly, the one or more client devices to which the non-interactive media files are to be provided. 
     
     
       13. The game server of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify the one or more of the plurality of client devices to which to provide the non-interactive media files based at least in part on a number of non-interactive media files previously provided to each of the plurality of client devices. 
     
     
       14. The game server of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to measure the resource usage of the game server by measuring resource usage of a graphic processing unit (GPU) corresponding to the game server. 
     
     
       15. The game server of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to measure the resource usage of the game server by measuring resource usage of a memory corresponding to the game server. 
     
     
       16. The game server of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to provide the one or more non-interactive media files to the one or more client devices by streaming the one or more non-interactive media files to the identified one or more client devices. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus for a cloud-based game system, the apparatus comprising:
 a resource usage measurement unit configured to measure resource usage of one or more game servers connected to a plurality of client devices; 
 a determination unit configured to:
 determine whether the measured resource usage exceeds a predetermined threshold, and 
 in response to a determination that the measured resource usage exceeds the predetermined threshold, identify one or more of the plurality of client devices to which one or more non-interactive media files are to be provided; and 
 
 a transmission unit configured to stream the one or more non-interactive media files to the identified one or more client devices. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the determination unit is configured to identify the one or more client devices to which the one or more non-interactive media files are to be provided by identifying the one or more client devices on which a predetermined game event is imminent or in accordance with a number of non-interactive media files previously provided to each of the one or more client devices. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the predetermined game event includes starting a game or entering a new game stage. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the determination unit is configured to identify, randomly, the one or more client devices to which the non-interactive media files are to be provided.